Device for driving fence-posts



(No Model.)

P. STOW.

DEVICE FOR DRIVING FENCE POSTS, 8w.

WITNESSES: p INVENTOR BY Patented Aug. 16, 1892.

UNITED STATES- PATENT QFFICE.

FRANKLIN STOW, OF KIRKNVOOD, NEWY YORK.

DEVICE FOR DRIVING FENCE-POSTS, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,941, dated August16, 1892.

Application filed April 11, 1892, Serial No. 428,656. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN STOW, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kirkwood, in the county of Broome and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for DrivingFence- Posts, &c.; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to that class of devices used for drivingfence-posts, stakes, poles, 850., my object being to provide means whichwill enable a person to drive fence-posts in the ground Without havingto pound upon the top, and thereby split or otherwise injure the post.

A further object of my invention is to enable the operator to drive tallposts and other articles without being compelled to strike such articleson their upper ends, but to strike them at a point near the lower endwithin easy access of the operator while standing on the ground, wherebya stronger and easier blow can be given.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap,strong, and durable device, which can be used upon posts, &c., havingdifferent diameters.

To this end my invention consists in the peculiar features andcombinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and pointed outin the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofmy complete device, with the parts assembled and ready for use; Fig. 2,a similar view, with the detachable parts dissembled to better showtheir construction; Fig. 3,a perspective view of my complete device asapplied and ready for operation upon a fence-post or other object to bedriven.

The reference-letter a represents an elongated block of wood or anyother suitable material having one side j flattened to fit snuglyagainst a fence-post b or other object to be driven. The oppositeends ofthis block are provided with ferrules 'i to prevent splitting. Theseferrules are securely bound to the block by Wedges k. The center of theblock is provided with a transverse hole 6, through which a bolt (1passes. 'lhisbolt is longer than the diameter of the block andone end isprovided with a head on and the other end with a transverse keyhole h,which is adapted to receive a springf to hold the chain and bolt inplace. To the opposite ends of this bolta link chain is secured, andthis chain is adapted to pass around the object to be driven. One end ofthe chain is provided with an enlarged link 0, through which theboltdpasses on one side of the block, and the other end of the chain isprovided with a series of enlarged elongated links 0'', adapted to passover the end of the bolt in attaching the block to various sizes ofobjects preparatory to driving. A washer g is interposed between thelinks 0" and the key f to effect a better fastening. This chain is madeof strong welded iron or steel links ca pable of standing the strainbrought to bear upon them.

In attaching and using my device the preparation is extremely simple andconvenient, and may be briefly described as follows: Assuming that theboltd has been passed through the link 0 and hole e, so that said linkwill be held between the head of the bolt and the block, the latter isthen placed beside the object to be driven, so that the flat portion jwill lie against the side thereof. The free end of the chain is nowbrought around and one of the links 0 passed over the protruding end ofthe bolt (1. The washer g is now placed on and the spring-key f passedthrough the hole h, thereby forming a secure fastening. The drivingoperation may now be commenced; and it will be seen that the strokesupon the end of the block will tend to lock the block tightly andimmovably to the object driven. When said object sinks so far in theground as to render the driving operation more diflicult, the block caneasily and quickly be lifted up to ahigher point and the operation ofdriving resumed. In case the object driven should be drawn over towardthe block while driving, the block can be shifted to the opposite sidethereof, whereupon the continued driving operation will tend to draw itover in a more upright position.

Among the advantages my invention possesses may be mentioned the factthat by its use a person is not compelled to stand upon an elevatedplatform when driving a tall fence-post, stakes, &c., all splitting orbattering of the ends of the posts are avoided, and much time and'laborare saved.

In driving hop-poles, bean-poles, &c., my device can be readily attachedto the lower end and such objects driven with as much facility as thoughthey were short and stiff, for it will be seen that in driving longpoles the bending of the latter under the strokes of the mallet renderthe strokes more or less ineifective and the operation is most tediousand diflicult.

It is evident that my invention could be changed in many slight waysthat might suggest themselves to askilled mechanic. Therefore I do notlimit myself to the exact construction shown and described, but considerFRANKLIN STOW. Witnesses:

R. G. DU BoIs, N. HEIME CLENDENIN.

